City Councilman issues statement calling for JEA to end sale negotiation process

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville City Councilman Matt Carlucci issued a statement Saturday night calling for the JEA board to the the “invitation to negotiate” instead of sending the decision to the City Council.

Carlucci explained that if the City Council stops the ITN process instead of the JEA board, they could open up the city to “serious lawsuits as the ITN contact does not exempt the council.”

Carlucci’s full statement:

“It is hugely important that the JEA board end the ITN process at their next meeting. If JEA board ends this process to privatization and or recapitalization they are immune to lawsuits from the bidders per the ITN contractural agreement!However, if the JEA board of directors passes this ITN on to the Jacksonville City Council, if we the Council stop the process we are opening our city to serious lawsuits as the ITN contact does not exempt the council.The JEA board at their next meeting is at a serious crossroads. They can take the road of making one of the biggest and most embarrassing mistakes in our consolidated Government if they pass this to the council.Or if they take the road to pulling the plug, stopping the process, this will be an important step in protecting our city and citizens and a breath of fresh air towards good government will sweep across our hometown.”

It is clear to me millions of dollars of contracts have been moved around no one knows if any process was followed. I would feel better and I know the citizens would feel better if the Jea process stopped until investigation, a complete and thorough investigation were completed.
— Matt Carlucci (@matt_carlucci) December 22, 2019